The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-14
THE ERA OF SLANG.
EXPRESSIONS WHICH SEND TIE
ceerps UP A PURlST'S BACK.


words for which No Possible Excuse
Gan We OHered-Fven the Fair sex
Have Caught the MISUNDERSTANDING
Sot Beautif,ing.
The era of slang IA upon ~ with
breadth that j. almost appalling. Noe
wholly the slang that might be defined as
the burlesque or colloquiel form OF ex-
preston. the language Of low hnmor, or
The iarpon Of thieves and Migrants, but
species that il almost - reprehensible.
II will not do TO apologize for It by say
ing that slang j. probably as 0id as
human speech and that the early writers
INDUCED In IL, especially the Greek and
Roman dranatists. and While We may
speak and write against the pernicious
habit. we suspect that we will not grow
disguised enough with it % thoroughly
upront I'd until 10 has reached It's china
The worst fact about il is that It Is not
confined 10 the low and the illiterate, but
has invaded the public schools. cultured
society and the literature OF our books.
admit that some II the slang expressions
are forcible and full Of adequaieness
among which J might name fired out
colossal cheek" etc. still. even they
ought 10 be tabOoed.
But what excuse can possibly be- offered
for such words rs "gall0ot, 90 'sardinc.
.cbump.n kicker" kid. etc. Or such
eXpressions ~ LET her 20. Gallagher,
Waited OH on his ear, i should
smoker Now YOU'VE shoutin. ete
They are scarcely emphatic and certainly
not polite Even the fair sex have caught
the Infection and speak about his royal
nib-. " or the "hOWling swell the CHI N
today is ready 90 "bet her bottom dollar. '
wants to know "what you re givin her.,
let's Won know that You are "oh lonr
base. and insists that you shall come
of 90 "vamo-c. " "skcdaddl 'ahsQuatu-
late. " aud AN that You ID. lera slight
favor and she cXclainls. "Oh thanks. ave
flllyr Why Size should thank you W'h
reverend fear is beyond your compre-
hension. Ask her to sing yoar iavorto
sentimental ballad and sine Viii probably
say. "Oh, really, Mr. - cawnf IT'S
too utterly, too-too'
WASTED SYMPATHY
While playing lawn tennis VIII. hcr -he
suddenly cries out "Oh. you Sc given mc
such a twist You feel exceedingly
alarmed You are afraid that her collar
bone j, broken or that 40 loast Der wis
has been disl0cated You discover hnw-
ever. that IL is but tennis slang ans shat
your sympathy has been wasted. size
confidently tells yOu that Jennie some
body is no good and had the check
10 propose 10 "stratch" her 20 the meet
ing of the club because sho hadn't
"forkcd ovcrn the "spondoolicks for
the last quarter All that is TO be depre-
Gated. hut the girls heaven bless them,
look so pretty. and use the terms so art
le.slv. that ] haven't the heart 90 be- se-
we're in my rcproof
II isn't pleasant 10 be accosted ~ ones
5-year-old hopeful as IAN old -uOozer or
To know that be +, lying in wait TO
knock the stunin ont of a neighbours
boy. or 90 wipe mp the floor with him.
Or 10 hear Our short skirtcd but high
spirited daughter tell the aforesaid brother
that she wishes the other boy would
'pasfe him on the snoot. ' or knock him
clean out the box or Unto the middle Of
next week I don't know that ] am es-
pecially sensitive, and yet | must say that
such expressions send the creeps mp my
back
The editor "swings a nasty Qniil,' Tho
hired girl IL spot rasilcr;' when thing
suite us it's "iust the cheese when too
noisy we are told 10 dry mp or to 'sus-
pend" when cunniugly on the alert we
say. mot if the court knows itself; II
one day is not available 's'mothcr one
is: when we die we "pas, in our checks,
are "put away on ice and are finally
planted SO might go on AL minimum.
You can think, ] am sure, OF at least a
hundred words and phrases Co which J
have made no reference. For in1ennnZ
cute words and phrases our country lead.
the procession. They are clever and app
propliatc, get into the topical song. he
public catch oi and they live and
thrive. and in many instance ihe dicti0n-
AIRY finally lcgit.mize- them
Slang I insist is the fungus ou The
stem. 10 is not the grated fruit. 10 10
the scum of language. IL often beliuilcs;
is never beauties "a "a, Hll spoke aud
wrote in q less exaggerated manner we
would bee less exaggerated i'm our ways Of
life and thought Life. as well a- speech,
would perhaps grow more simple more
true, more worth living. Observer ia
Dl.tf.I.fr.lf4 Ium